What I Learned from Ellen Weber

Dr. Ellen Weber lives by risk, adventure and surprise. To work with her and witness her amazing brain in action's a challenge and fun wrapped in one bundle. Here's a few gems I've learned from Ellen...

1. Question... take nothing for granted. As I began to question, follow curiosity and see new possibilities, the quest for answers helped me learn and grow in ways I never thought possible.

2. Target... Ellen often asks me where I see myself five years down the road. If you get stuck in daily details, life can carry you along with no real purpose... Since I want to be a contributor to others, I see the big picture and set the plans to get there. By daily targets, and organizing priorities, I jot daily plans without losing sight of the overall vision...that you see in your mind's eye.

3. Expect... Dr. Weber often asks, What do you expect, anyway? Most people don't really have a clue so they can't guide others. Yet to expect is to see your finished product in living colors, shapes, sizes and animations. It offers the brain an advanced organizer and invites the mind to leap forward, to fill in the dots, and to create art and science for quality outcomes. At the MITA International Brain Based Center we often expect the moon, for instance, and it tends to come to our daily roundtables, in fine blue cheese pieces. What do you expect, anyway?

4. Move... Each person's born with eight intelligences. What we do with our gifts and talents can pave the way for a rich and satisfying career. Ellen encouraged me to ask, "How am I smart?" My first response was that I was not smart... I made that decision since I was not Valedictorian or Salutatorian of my class. Ellen helped me to see that intelligence involves so much more than what we previously thought and what a billion dollar test taking industry wants to keep in place. Intelligence is evidenced through problem solving skills, creativity, ability to organize and analyze, many of which are not truly tested because much ambiguity is involved and intelligence crosses disciplines. IQ's not fixed as "experts" once thought at the end of the 19th and early part of the 20th century when IQ tests were first formulated. Because of current neuroscience research, experts now view intelligence differently. The question is not "How smart are you? As Ellen saw through her university research, the question is... "How are you smart?"... and additionally, "Where are you headed with your gifts?"

5. Reflect... What worked and what didn't work... as I consider outcomes of my work, learn from mistakes and try new strategies, I continually grow and change. To reflect takes time and a positive approach to be the person I want to be - one who uses God-given gifts to the fullest extent.

When I visited Robert Hruzek's Middle Zone Musings today I was challenged to take on his mantra to share "What I learned from...." Since I keep growing and learning from Brain-based work experiences with Dr. Ellen Weber globally, it seemed natural to share nuggets of gold with Brain Based Biz community and visitors.

I've learned to live Ellen Weber's five MITA steps for growth and productivity for both work and personal life. Change happens as you live what you learn, not just nod your head and agree with an idea you read or hear. Learning takes courage and risk. Are you up to it?

So, where do you see yourself in five years?